New air-conditioned trains to run between London, Peterborough and Cambridge this autumn

Great Northern is launching three new air-conditioned trains this autumn

Air-conditioned trains breeze on to Great Northern this autumn. Keith Jipps. (Photo: Great Northern)

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Rail passengers will enjoy much cooler, more comfortable journeys between London, Peterborough and Cambridge with the introduction of air-conditioned trains.

For the first time ever next month, the Great Northern route will be running the first of three types of modern train.

Over the next three years the trains will steadily replace almost all of the trains on the network that are up to 40 years old, creating one of the newest train fleets in the country.

The trains being introduced this autumn will feature greater reliability than existing trains, two-by-two seating with tables and power points throughout for those who want to work or play and charge their devices.

Air-conditioned trains breeze on to Great Northern this autumn. (Photo: Great Northern)

There will also be modern passenger information systems and spaces for people in wheelchairs, fully accessible toilets and other features for people with disabilities.

Susan van de Ven, Cambridgeshire County Councillor and chair of the Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Rail User Group, who has been campaigning for better accessibility at her stations for children and young people with profound disabilities at Meldreth Manor school, all of whom are wheelchair-bound, welcomed the news.

She said: "When you walk into this train you immediately see it is welcoming to anyone with mobility difficulties.

Air-conditioned trains breeze on to Great Northern this autumn. Susan van de Ven, a county councillor and Great Northern Passenger Services Director Keith Jipps. (Photo: Great Northern)

"There is lots of space for wheelchairs and pushchairs - which will also help the parents going to Shepreth Wildlife Park - so I am thrilled this train will be serving our stations."

From May next year - subject to work to be carried out by Network Rail - the first new trains will also run on the Fen Line, between Cambridge and King's Lynn.

Keith Jipps, Great Northern Passenger Services Director, said: "We're introducing more reliable, modern air-conditioned trains that will keep passengers as cool as a cucumber and be great for people with disabilities. We think passengers will love the two-by-two seating and the power points at every seat.

"This is part of an overall plan to replace almost all the trains on the Great Northern route by 2020 – and those few trains that will remain are themselves going through a £30m refurbishment programme.

Air-conditioned trains breeze on to Great Northern this autumn. Tables and power socket. (Photo: Great Northern)

"In just a few short years, we'll be moving from one of the oldest fleets in the country to one of the newest."

The new trains part of a wide range of proposed service changes and improvements on Great Northern for 2018 that parent company Govia Thameslink Railway announced on Monday.

This includes new cross-London Thameslink services at stations to and from Stevenage, Cambridge and Peterborough, double the number of semi-fast trains to and from Peterborough and double the number of semi-fast and stopping services off peak to and from Cambridge.